Question 9c of the 2017 biology exam.

[Bloop674]

Within the examination report, it states "If plasmid is not taken up, those bacteria are killed by ampicillin". Is this due to DNA ligase not ligating, that plasmid back together, possibley causing the DNA to become disfunctional?

[PhoenixxFire]

Within the examination report, it states "If plasmid is not taken up, those bacteria are killed by ampicillin". Is this due to DNA ligase not ligating, that plasmid back together, possibley causing the DNA to become disfunctional?

The gene for ampicillin resistance is in the plasmid. If the bacteria have not taken up the plasmid then they will not be resistant, and therefore will die.

[darkz]

Within the examination report, it states "If plasmid is not taken up, those bacteria are killed by ampicillin". Is this due to DNA ligase not ligating, that plasmid back together, possibley causing the DNA to become disfunctional?

This is due to the plasmid not being taken up during the transformation process. e.g. during electroporation or heat shock therapy, not all of the bacteria will successfully takeup the plasmid. As for the ligating process, this process is pretty much flawless and would not contribute to this at all

[Bloop674]

Thanks